Lima: Colonial Walking Tour & Larco Museum with Catacombs

The Catacombs Beneath San Francisco Hold 25,000 Remains, and That's Just the Start

You walk Lima's colonial streets, descend into the San Francisco Catacombs to see where thousands were buried, then spend the afternoon at the Larco Museum exploring 45,000 pre-Columbian artifacts in a mansion built atop a seventh-century pyramid. Hotel pickup, private guide, and lunch at the museum cafe are included, and the whole day fits into six hours without feeling compressed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. San Martin Square10m
2. Main Square30m
3. Church and Convent of Saint Francis1h · entry included
4. Larco Museum2h 30m · entry included

Historic Lima and Larco Museum Tour

• Visit San Martin Square
• Explore Plaza de Armas
• Tour Church and Convent of Saint Francis
• Explore catacombs beneath convent
• Visit Larco Museum and gardens
• Enjoy lunch at museum cafe

The experience

The San Francisco Convent sits in the middle of Lima's colonial heart, and underneath it are passages most visitors never see. You walk down into the catacombs: actual burial chambers from centuries past, arranged in patterns that feel both orderly and unsettling. Your guide explains the history as you move through, and then you're back on the street, walking toward the Plaza de Armas where the Presidential Palace and Cathedral face each other across the square. It's the kind of morning that makes you understand why people say Lima's center is a living museum.

The Larco Museum comes after lunch, and it's where the tour shifts from streets to objects. Built on top of a seventh-century pyramid, the mansion itself matters (the gardens are photographed more than some attractions are visited), but the collection inside is what stays with you. Forty-five thousand pieces of pre-Columbian art, pottery, textiles, and artifacts arranged so you're not just looking at old things but starting to see how people lived. The museum includes a room dedicated to erotic ceramics from ancient Peru, which your guide can skip if you're traveling with younger children, but most people find it one of the most human parts of the collection.

The whole thing runs six hours, which sounds tight but works because you're not rushing between distant sites. Everything is walkable or a short drive from everything else: the plazas, the convent, the museum. Your guide is licensed and local, which means they know which corners to linger on and which stories actually matter. Lunch is included at the museum cafe, surrounded by those gardens, so you're not hunting for food or losing time to logistics.

Hotel pickup happens from San Isidro, Miraflores, or Barranco, the main tourist districts, and the tour is private, meaning it's just you and whoever you're traveling with. A minimum of two people per booking, but that's it. The pace suits all fitness levels. You're walking but not hiking, and there are plenty of places to stand and listen.

What’s included

• Professional licensed local guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from San Isidro, Miraflores, or Barranco.
• private vehicle transport throughout the day.
• entry to the San Francisco Convent and Catacombs.
• entry to the Larco Museum.
• lunch at the museum cafe.
• all taxes and fees.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour From HotelGuide in 4 languages · 08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00Tour from a hotel: the tour follows the Activity Summary, with free pickup from a hotel in the districts of San Isidro, Miraflores or Barranco. Pickup is included.

From the Airport or Port of CallaoGuide in 4 languages · 5 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:00Private pickup from the airport: flight information is required. From the port: contact the local agency to arrange the pickup location. Pickup is by passenger van or sedan from the airport hotel; choose whether pickup is from Grand Costa Del Sol or Holiday Inn Airport. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Integrity Tourism

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Lima's essential history (colonial architecture, pre-Columbian artifacts, and the city's UNESCO sites) without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself. Six hours is enough to see the main pieces without the usual gaps between sites.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

What exactly are the San Francisco Catacombs?

Underground burial chambers beneath the Church and Convent of San Francisco, a UNESCO World Heritage site. An estimated 25,000 people were laid to rest in the passages, which you explore with your guide during the tour.

Is the erotic ceramics room mandatory?

No. Your guide can skip that section if you're traveling with younger children, but it's part of the museum's collection and most visitors include it.

What's included in the price?

Professional licensed guide, all entry fees and taxes, hotel pickup and drop-off (from San Isidro, Miraflores, or Barranco), private vehicle transport, and lunch at the museum cafe.

Can I book this tour alone?

A minimum of two people per booking is required.

Which hotel districts are covered by pickup?

San Isidro, Miraflores, and Barranco. Other districts may have different arrangements.

Is this tour physically demanding?

No. It's suitable for all fitness levels. You're walking through the city center and museum galleries, not hiking or climbing.

What if I'm traveling with an infant?

Infants are required to sit on an adult's lap during the vehicle portions of the tour.